Escholz, Gilding dominate Div 1 meet

State Meet Highlights

 
Small though it may be, Vermont has four divisions and conducts its state track and field championships in three locations. The smallest schools (Divisions 3 and 4) met at Chester, Division 2 was at Montpelier and Division 1 was at Burlington. Alec Eschholz of Mt. Mansfield and Kayla Gilding of South Burlington were the state’s standout performers.

Top Performances:

 
- Alec Eschholz of Mt. Mansfield won the 110 hurdles in 14.63 seconds and also took the 300 hurdles in a meet record 37.52. He also won the 200 meters (22.88) and to top it off he also won the javelin with 161-10.

 
- Sam Brunnette of North Country Union won the Div 1 titles in the 1,500 meters (4:07.93) and the 3,000 (9:01.69).

 
- Caleb Kasupski of North Burlington won an unusual combination of events in Division 1 – taking the discus with 139-11 and the long jump with a meet record 22-2.75. He was also second in the pole vault and fourth in the triple jump.

 
- Senior Kayla Gilding of South Burlington won the 100 meters (12.91), the 200 (26.31), the 400 (58.80) and the long jump (18-3.50) in Division 1.

 
- Senior Leneisha Williams of Mt. Anthony won the Division 1 100 meters in 12.54 and placed third in the 200 and anchored the winning 4x100 relay.

- Freshman Rena Schwartz of U-32 posted high quality times in the Div 2 1,500 (4:43.76) and the 3,000 (10:11.49).  

- Olivia Dexter of U-32 won four events in Div 2 – the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump.

- Sam Nishi of Harwood Union swept the Div 2 titles in the 800 (1:59.46), the 1,500 (4:18.46) and the 3,000 (9:03.30).

- Katey Comstock of Windsor, a junior, got a rare throws triple in Div 2 – taking the shot put (39-3.50), the discus (116-6) and the javelin (110-9).

- Emily Close, a senior at Lake Region, scored a lot of points in Division 3 with wins in the 100 hurdles (16.04), the 300 hurdles (47.63), the high jump (4-10) and was also fourth in the long jump. Her younger sister Catherine, a freshman, was second in both the discus and javelin.

- In Division 4, the most significant race was the boys 1,500 meters. Both winner Warren Yacawych of Northfield (4:08.93) and Gannon McKearin of Proctor (4:09.46) ran under the meet record. McKearin also won the 800 and was second in the 3,000, while Yacawych was third and fourth in those events, respectively.

Top Teams:

St. Johnsbury edged the defending champion Essex girls, 147 to 142 to claim the Division I team title. South Burlington scored 108 points to hold onto the boys title. In Division 2, the host U-32 boys and girls team both won titles.

The Woodstock girls and Bellows Falls boys won Division 3 team titles for the second year in a row. Richford swept the Division 4 team titles.

Top Competition: The boys Division 3 championship 3,000 meters was as close as it gets. Isaac Mears, a junior from Montpelier, crossed the line virtually side by side with teammate Matt Hynes, a sophomore. They ran 9:06.29 and 9:06.30.

Record-breaker: Alec Eschholz put an exclamation mark on his claim as Vermont's all-time best hurdler by breaking his own all-time state best in the 300 hurdles.